LPGA’s Lincicome to tee it up on PGA Tour

MIAMI: Brittany Lincicome, an eight-time winner on the LPGA tour, will join the select group of women to tee it up in a US PGA Tour event when she plays in the Barbasol Championship in July.

Lincicome, speaking Friday at the US Women’s Open, said she had been approached by Tom Murray, chief executive of the Perio company that owns the Barbasol and Pure Silk shaving products brands. “I was kind of torn,” the American said. “I can already hear people saying you are trying to compare yourself to the men. That’s not what it is.

“I love competing with the guys. I feel like I step up my game when I play with them. I play a little harder. I always thought it would be cool to try.” Swedish superstar Annika Sorenstam became the first woman in 58 years to appear in a PGA Tour tournament when she played the Colonial in 2003, missing the halfway cut.

Michelle Wie later competed in a handful of PGA Tour events, never making the cut. Other women to play in PGA Tour events were Babe Zaharias and Suzy Whaley. Lincicome, who numbers two major championships among her titles, said she wasn’t worried about missing the cut at the Barbasol. “I think we’ll go into it having fun and try not to put too much pressure on myself,” she said. “Obviously it’s a whole different ball game.”

Lincicome, who has an endorsement deal with Pure Silk and won the last two Pure Silk-sponsored LPGA tournaments in the Bahamas, admitted she was already feeling some nerves as she looked ahead to the July 19-22 event in Kentucky. “I feel like every time I walk by one of those guys they are going to look at me like why the heck are you here? A what are you doing here kind of look,” she said. “Hopefully they are really nice.”